CarMax Foundation Awards $100,000 Grant to Safe America Foundation
RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 20, 2007 -- CarMax, Inc. , the nation's largest retailer of used cars, announced today that the CarMax Foundation has awarded the Safe America Foundation a $100,000 grant to help fund a teen driver safety campaign. The campaign will include educational clinics offered during a multi-city tour across the country. The grant will also be used to help promote the Safe America website, http://www.skidzz.com/, that allows teens to learn driving safety using a hands-on approach.
"The grant from CarMax will help our organization potentially save the lives of young drivers," said Len Pagano, president of the Safe America Foundation. "Our program is designed to improve the skills and driving behavior of teenagers through clinics and interactive activities. We believe that it is critical to address such an important public safety issue with a positive and proactive approach."
In 2004, more than 5,890 young drivers aged 16 to 20 were killed in motor vehicle collisions in the U.S.; another 456,000 were injured. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for this age group, outnumbering the combined deaths resulting from drug use, guns and other violence.
"The CarMax Foundation is devoted to supporting non-profit organizations that address significant needs through positive new approaches," said Joe Kunkel, president of The CarMax Foundation and senior vice president of marketing and strategy for CarMax. "We are proud to be a part of this outstanding program that is working to make a difference in teen driving safety."
The Safe America Foundation teaches teens about a wide variety of topics including: the physical science of handling a moving car; the functions of safety devices and security features in their cars; and how to handle adverse driving conditions. The program also shows teens how to deal with aggressive drivers and other obstacles to driving safety.
About Safe America
The Safe America Foundation is a nonprofit organization that focuses on emerging safety issues at home, work, while traveling and in play. The Foundation is a national leader in innovative teen driving training, emergency preparedness, and kids' safety education. Its ongoing programs include "SafeTeenAmerica" addressing teen driving issues; "Prepared.Not Scared.," that educates individuals and businesses on how to prepare for natural and man-made disasters; and the "Safest Kid in America" contest which has reached over 10 million young Americans.
About The CarMax Foundation
The CarMax Foundation's National Funding Program assists nonprofit organizations that address or improve automobile safety for families and children. The Foundation is supported by CarMax. CarMax, a FORTUNE 500 company and one of the FORTUNE 2007 "100 Best Companies to Work For," is the nation's largest retailer of used cars. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., CarMax currently operates 74 used car superstores in 35 markets. CarMax also operates seven new car franchises, all of which are integrated or co-located with its used car superstores. For more information about The CarMax Foundation, visit http://www.carmaxcares.com/.
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